Foreign and Colonial News

The Illustrated London News,
vol. 44,
no. 1245,
p. 175.

February 20, 1864

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL NEWS.

AMERICA.

The Confederates appear to have made a general aggressive
movement. General Longstreet has, it is stated, driven the Federals
into Knoxville and got possession of the French Bread
[sic]
River, whence
large supplies of forage can be drawn. In North Carolina they had
driven in the Federal outposts, and in Western Virginia had captured
some Federal detachments and stores; but, on pressing their
advantages, they were repulsed in both instances.

The Federals have recommenced shelling Fort Sumter, having
discovered that the Confederates had remounted five guns on the
fort.

There was a renewed report of General Meade being superseded by
General Thomas.

Another land and naval expedition was being fitted out at New
Orleans; its destination was not known, but was supposed to be
Mobile.

The Southern army is said to be in the best spirits, and the
soldiers were re-enlisting by brigades and regiments. General Lee
issued an order on the 22nd ult. stating that the temporary reduction
of rations was caused by circumstances beyond the control of those
charged with the support of the army; but it was hoped this would be
of short duration. The army has proved that the country could require
no sacrifice too great for its patriotism.

President Lincoln has ordered a forced levy of 500,000 men. The
levy is to be made on the 10th of March next, and all volunteers who
may be raised before that date will be deducted from it. The 300,000
men summoned in October last are to be included in the 500,000
required by the present call, which is therefore an order for an
additional levy of 200,000 men.

A bill has been reported in the House of Representatives
appropriating 529,000,000 dols. for the army expenses in the year
ending June, 1865.

The New York Legislature has resolved to add 2,000 000 dols. to
the recruiting fund, and to increase the State bounty to 300 dols.

A New York letter states that since the outbreak of the civil war
President Lincoln has called out about 2,000,000 men for service in
the Federal army, and 500,000 for service in the Federal navy.

Quite an excitement exists in relation to the next
presidency. Mr. Lincoln has been nominated by the several State
Legislatures and conventions, and it is believed that he will get the
regular Republican nomination, although Mr. Chase's friends are
advancing his claims with great energy. It is also said that Fremont
will be a candidate. The nomination of General Grant has been strongly
advocated by the New York Herald and several
other papers; but M'Clellan, thus far, seems to be the probable
candidate of the Democratic party.

Colonel Colt's pistol factory at Hartford, Connecticut, has been
destroyed by fire: 1700 workmen were thrown out of employment, and the
loss was computed at over 2,000,000 dollars. The new buildings in
which minié rifles are made were saved.

The Cabinet of Washington has ordered a Court of Inquiry to
investigate the circumstances under which an officer of the Federal
steamer Vanderbilt shot Mr. Gray, the mate of the British barque
Saxon, which was captured by the Vanderbilt at Angra Pequena, and
which is alleged to have been taken in British waters. According to
the published accounts of the occurrence and the statements of the
English crew, an unprovoked murder was committed by Doniphan, the
Federal officer; but the Boston Advertiser
states that Doniphan declares the fatal shot was fired accidentally by
him.

The Judge of the Admiralty Court at Halifax has decided to restore
the Chesapeake and cargo to the owners, subject to conditions
respecting the payment of such expenses as the Attorney-General may
exact. The Attorney-General demands a surety against latent claims,
but the owners of the Chesapeake demur to this.

The hearing of the case of the men implicated in the seizure of
the Chesapeake was still going on at St. John, New
Brunswick. Testimony was given to the effect that ten of the men who
seized the ship were commissioned Confederate officers.